alyelle

This is a scent I'd never have chosen for me; the lab sent it as a frimp in my last order. It's intriguing, and slightly bizarre. In the imp and wet on my skin, it's almost entirely cherry and clove, with hints of the dragon's blood. Uusally I amp cherry but as this one dries, the cherry vanishes entirely. It moves from clove to wet salt to a warm, sticky scent that is the embodiment of its name. It's not unpleasant, just odd. And probably not one for me, but then, most of the dragon's blood scents aren't. Stars: ★★★

Imp: A dark, spicy herbaceous scent, with barely any honey at all. I quite like it! Wet: Sharp, yes, but not herbal or bitter; somehow sharp and powdery at the same time and pierces right through to hit me in the temple. This might be one of those unfortunate scents that trigger my headaches. Dry: A cool, white floral with powdery overtones. It reminds me rather a lot of magnolia blossom. This smells nothing at all like I'd have expected it to from the imp. The end result on me is basically the polar opposite of the oil, and that's rather disappointing - I love the scent of it unapplied. The final stages aren't bad, though I'd have to try it again to work out whether I like them enough to sit through the almost-headache-inducing stage of wet to dry. The throw's pretty good, I definitely only need a small amount. ★: 2.5, pending another test.

Freebie from the lab Imp: Chocolate (?!) and leather. Wet: More cucumber than courgette, and yeah, they smell different to me. A spicy warmth works its way up almost immediately.It's the same scent I get from a lot of the forest blends, most of which I've noticed have vetiver listed, so I can only assume that vetiver doesn't do the usual smoky/wet/green thing on me. Instead it's a warm, brown tree scent - perhaps what you might smell if one of Tolkien's Ents sat sunning itself in the clearing of a pine forest. It's the fragrance I *always* want when I buy something that mentions a forest in its description, so I'm very happy about it. There's also the barest hint of leather under the surface. Dry: The spicy vetiver scent for ages, and then a very light musk towards the end of the day. The cold vegetable smell never returns after that first initial swipe. Overall, this is nothing like what I expected when I saw it amongst my imps. What it is is absolutely lovely, and I will definitely buy one when the freebie runs out. Probably an imp, but if it ages well, a bottle. ★: 4/5.

Freebie from the lab Imp: A strong, nutty chocolate - hazelnuts and almonds I think - with sweet, almost amber-esque overtones. Wet: Florals and baby power; no nuts or chocolate at all. Dry: A soft, spicy powder. This one's very strange on me - normally I will amp patchouli to high heaven, but Tezcatlipoca is almost entirely floral talc. I wonder if there's musk involved somewhere; it's always been a bit of a hit and miss note, and the powdery smell I get is very similar to what a lot of the musk-based blends end up doing. For a scent with such strong components, it has a surprisingly short life, only 3-4 hours, and a pretty weak throw. No stage of the morph is unpleasant, but it's definitely not a fragrance I'll use. ★: 3/5.

Imp: Light, white notes - honeydew, pale tea, a squeeze of citrus Wet: Musk, fairly prominently, with overtones of sweet, woodsy smells Dry: A sickly-sweet, soapy smell that I had to resort to scrubbing off. It's only the second or third fragrance that's disagreed with my skin to the point of washing it off instead of letting it wear naturally, and I wish I knew why. None of them seem to have common elements. :/ ★: 1/5 on me, which is very sad as I love the concept.

Imp: Honey, champagne and sweet pea, all notes which should be innocent but are somehow dark and sensual here Wet: Very sweet honey and pomegranate, quite a lot like the initial stag of Swank. No alcohol at all, and none of the dark and sexy smell from the imp. Dry: There's really nothing black about this scent on me; it's white and pink and sparking champagne diamonds. Overall it's quite lovely, but not really me. The throw is pretty decent, but it lasts only a few hours hours, which is pretty short compared to my usual BPAL wear times. Stars: ★★★

Imp: Cherry cough syrup. Wet: Woody, much more so than the imp smell would lead you to believe! And much more dominant than the cherry note on me. It's a deep, rich mahogany with a sweet undertone that's proper cherry blossom, not the cough syrup smell of earlier. Dry: Quite weirdly, the smell of solder being heated. I don't even know. But I actually quite like the scent of solder being heated so although it's not something I'd go looking for in a perfume, I'm finding it very comforting all the same. If I sniff really hard, the cherry tone is still there, but it's mostly melting solder. Overall: After an hour or so it morphs back to the wood smell, with a hint of lacquer or solder. One review said pencil shavings, which is almost the scent I'm getting, but there's still a teeny bit of fruit. I definitely amp mahogany like no-one's business, that's for sure. I think I'd have liked more/stronger fruit notes. Layering with one of the blackberry-based scents or even Chokecherry Honey might help get the effect I'm after. I'll keep it for now to see how it ages. ★: 3/5

I resisted this forever because musk and I tend not to get on, but I finally bit the bullet and ordered an imp with my Yules. I'm so very, very glad I did. Imp: sweet lavender, overlaid with the slight bitterness of hot brewing tea Wet: VANILLA. Cake-mix vanilla, summer lemon trees, the smell of sunshine on clean sheets - this morphs quickly through all three of those, and by quickly, I mean in under a minute. Dry: the very first review for this scent is spot on; this absolutely brings to mind images of a proper English gentleman, a tea parlour, and an encounter with his naughty side. There's a deep earthy tone which I'm guessing is some sort of oak? It smells very much like other oak-based perfumes I've tried, and if I remember correctly, that's one of the more common bases to use for a fougère. It's woody, at any rate, though not overpoweringly so - I've been wearing Conservatory Tableaux for two days, and Dee before that, and it's nothing even close to how woody those two are. There's a waft of lavender and lemon every so often, but mostly a warm, rich vanilla sugar and tea combination that's a strange combination of alluring and comforting. I don't know that I'd recommend this for alpha-males - it's more Russell Brand than Russell Crowe - but it's a beautiful, masterpiece of a scent, and definitely one I'll be buying multiple bottles on. 5/5!

I don't try many florals and every time I do, I'm reminded why that is. Imp: soft, powdery lilac with a hint of wysteria Wet: very sweet - mainly lilac, with an undercurrent of rose and something that smells bizarrely like sunblock. Dry: rose, mainly. Unfortunately most BPAL rose scents smell like potpourri or powder on me. This one's on the potpourri side, which I'm grateful for, as I don't really want to have to wash it off. The lilac fades almost to nothing after ten minutes and after about three hours, the wysteria makes itself known. It's lovely but very delicate, and I rather wish it didn't take quite so long to arrive; I'd be more inclined to put up with the wafts of rose if the wysteria were stronger. Alas, even when it does come out, it's generally overshadowed by the rose. A very pretty scent for someone, but that someone isn't me. Stars: ★★

In the imp: lemon. Wet: ... lemon. Dry: lemon. Lemon is one of the few BPAL notes I can't wear - unless I fancy an instant migraine. I persisted with this in the hope that the initial citrus would die off but it just got stronger. I'm sure it would be lovely on someone else; on me, it does exactly what Lolita does and tries to convince you that you are, in fact, in the middle of an overly ripe orchard with no hope of escape this century.

Imp: Juniper. All juniper, all the time. Wet: Just picked, smack you in the face, wet handfuls of mint. And a wee bit of woodiness. Dry: After 10 minutes, I start to get hints of lotus, but a stronger sense of the cherry gumdrop fragrance others mentioned. After 20 minutes, it's more raspberry, and overall the effect is odd - while it's definitely a 'dark' scent, it's also very warming and friendly. After a couple of hours, it's just a light sweetness. Overall a pleasant fragrance, but not really me. ★ 3/5

Mine's a decant and in its imp, I get a delightful blend of honey and apricot, sort of what I imagine fairy wine would smell like. On my skin, however, I get an instant red rash which had me scrubbing it off inside of five minutes. I'm super sad, because the fragrance I get from the bottle is just glorious. Normally this is something that only happens with cinnamon blends (the review above that mentions cinnamon makes me wonder if perhaps there isn't a hint of that in here too) so I thought I'd be safe with this. I'm willing to believe pepper would do the same thing though, so I'm going to have to check through my current imp stash and see whether there's anything else that incorporates pepper and if I have the same reaction. Needless to say, this little one's being re-homed.

I don't do well with rose scents, but I was given a partial decant of this by a lovely forum member I bought some other imps from, so I figured I'd give it a go. Imp: wine, tea, and the cloying, sickly scent that I smell with all rose blends. Wet: surprisingly lovely! A warm black tea, frankincense and papery, dry roses. No wine at all, and none of the overly sweet smell that rose normally gives me. Dry (10 mins): ... oh. I amp resins and incense notes, but I also amp rose - which is probably why I don't enjoy it, to be honest. And in the frankincense/rose contest, the rose is now winning by a whole lot. dry (6 hours): alas, poor Yorrick, he was overwhelmed by roses. After three or four hours I start getting hints of beeswax, but it's pretty much all rose, all the time. Overall it's not an unpleasant scent, regardless of how this review looks. On someone that wears rose well, it would be beautiful. The throw is excellent, it was still quite strong after eight or so hours wear. But it's not a scent I'd have ever chosen and it's definitely not one I'll need to track down more of. Had it stayed what it was at the 10 minute mark, I might have been tempted. Stars: ★★★

If I never bought another BPAL scent again, I'd still die happy. I've been pining after this since it was first released and actually managed to find a full bottle just in time for my birthday this year. And it's perfect. Snow Glass Apples is one of my favourite Neil stories, and everything about this blend evokes it in the best possible way. Everyone says it's green apples, but not to me - I get sweet, deep blood-red apples, dripping juice. The snow is there too, hard-packed, violet blue, and there's a hint of wind down a chilly stone corridor lingering around the top notes. I loved The Hesperides and to some extent, this reminds me of the eventual drydown I got from that, but Snow, Glass, Apples is infinitely more delicate and lovely, and so utterly creepy for all it's sweetness. I replaced The Hesperides with Pomona in the end, and I'll still wear that as my everyday apple fragrance, but there's nothing that could ever top this for me. It's perfect, absolutely perfect. 10 out of 5!

In the imp: Tobacco, mint, and spice - especially pepper Wet: Cold and airy. There's a strong hit of mint at first, then pepper, then something almost alpine - perhaps the bloodroot. I've not seen it in any other scent I've tried and have no reference for its smell at all. Dry (1 hr): A lovely base note that's similar to tonka - I'm guessing the opoponax - and some planty overtones. Thistle and dragon's blood (not one of the best scents for me, I hope that wears off soon), and a hint of cumin peeping through. The pepper burns away by the end of the first hour. Dry (6 hrs): Still quite strong, the throw is good. Scent wise, there's a very soft vanilla on my wrists - where it's coming from, I have no idea, but it's like proper crushed vanilla beans - and on my elbows, there's traces of the spices, with sweetness from the fig. And yes, the dragon's blood did burn off too. Sadly, the mint also vanished after a short while, which is a shame; I liked the coolness it brought to this blend. Overall, very pretty, and definitely my favourite so far of this year's Phoenixes. But I shan't be hasty, I've got four more to try. ★: 4/5

This imp is now around three years old, and like a lot of the Ars Amatoria scents, I think age improves it. In the imp: Honey. Thick, dark, musky honey. Which baffles me every time. Wet: Vanilla dominates but still traces of honey, very similar to the scent you get from Lush's "Honey I Washed the Kids" soap. Dry (1hr): A slight citrus scent, but otherwise almost pure narcissus - it's dark and black and earthy. Nothing at all of the vanilla. End of day: Mainly vanilla/citrus. The narcissus burns off faster than the other two, and what's left is still strong, but not overpowering. On the whole, I like this, certainly much more than I'd thought I would when the imp first arrived. It reminds me a little of O, which also took a while to grow on me. If I had to choose between this and O though, I'd go with O every time. Stars: ★★★

In the imp: A fizzy, amber/lavender scent that is somehow earthy and ozone at the same time. Wet: Two small swipes - it smells quite strong - and that fizzy scent amps up beyond belief. It's replaced quickly by a gold citrus (not lemon though!), then a rich, warm amber after a minute or two. Dry: Initially an amber scent similar to Mouse's Long and Sad Tale, but with an orange or satsuma undertone. (I'm coming to the conclusion that I amp amber, because anything even vaguely ambery ends up smelling like Mouse on me.) After a few hours, it's pure amber. And very potent - I definitely won't forget I've got this one on. End of day: A hint of musk finally starts to come through at the 6-8 hour mark - I assume because the amber is slowly burning off. It's fainter by bedtime, but on the whole, this is one powerful scent. It lasted through three sinks worth of dishes and was still definitely discernible without too much sniffing for it. Stars: ★★★★½

In the imp: Must, but pleasantly, like from antique books; an underlying warm, fruity smell; spicy wet leaves and earth. Wet: The earthiness amps immediately, as does the fruit - this is like walking through a rich, crumbly-soiled vineyard as the last of the fallen summer fruit rots into the soil. (It sounds horrifying but it's actually really lovely.) And somehow, at the same time, there's a note of long-dry earth, as if no rain has fallen in years. It's quite an odd sensation. Dry (1-2 hours): An increasing mossy note, as well as something sharp under the wet/dry earth. The spice also strengthens; overall, the effect is very similar to what Dee does on me. End of day: The throw is excellent! This took a good eight hours to wear down to the point where I had to consciously sniff for it, and once it morphs into it's two-hour stage, it doesn't change any further. It's not a fragrance I'd ever have picked for myself, but I love it, and I'm definitely considering a whole bottle. ★: 5/5

In the imp: wet green herbs and some light peony - not a trace of tea! Something lemony, like crushed coriander or lemongrass. Wet: I slathered this because it smells so very light. Definitely lemon, so if there's no actual lemon, I'd be willing to bet on lemongrass being on the herbs, and the faintest hint of warm black tea. Initial drydown: the lemon stays strong for a while, but thankfully it's not the sticky, headache-inducing lemon I have so many problems with (I'm looking at you, Lolita). It's a sharp, fresh lemon than blends marvelously with the tea that's inching its way out to greet me. End of day: a sweet, light tea, very summery; more reminiscent of an iced fruit tea than a hot mug. Overall this is a lovely scent, if somewhat light. It's perfect for bright winter days when you need reminding that spring is on its way, but the softness of it is drowned out in the hotter months of the year. I'm trying to downsize my stash so I won't order a bottle any time soon, but I will be sure to keep an imp at all times! ★: 5/5

In the imp: spicy - sandalwood and ginger at the forefront - with a bare hint of the florals Wet: floral talcum powder It's almost immediately all hyacinth and lily of the valley, though if I sniff hard very close to my wrist, there's traces of ginger and maybe amber Initial drydown: I still think it's terribly floral, I can't smell anything but the hyacinths, lily and plumeria. There's also a high, warm sweetness to it which I usually get with amber scents (Mouse's Long and Sad Tale does something similar). But my girlfriend insists that all she can smell is sandalwood, so perhaps the throw of the floral elements isn't quite as strong as it seems to me. End of day: after a good 4 to 5 hours, the floral notes burn off enough that it's mainly a warm, spicy sandalwood. The throw by the end of the day is very faint, but I don't like the floral stages quite enough to want to lather more on for a stronger final scent. Overall, it's a pretty enough scent, but I don't think it's a *me* scent, and it'll probably go onto my swap list. Stars: ★★★

I'm adding myself to the list of people who would never have bought this from the description. Ever. Though apparently the lab knows better; it assumed I'd like it so much that it sent along two samples with my latest order. In the imp: Sweet florals under an ocean of water. VERY sweet florals. There's nothing even vaguely milky. Wet: Salt. Lemon. Sea-grass. Vanilla. Ozone. Quite a decent throw, and I probably didn't need to put on quite as much as I did. It might look pale and watery, but it's actually a strong little scent. Dry: Citrus and salt for a good hour and then slowly, slowly, the milk starts coming through. It's not a dairy or cream scent, it's earthy coconut milk - very similar to the coconut hit I get from 2012's mushroom & milk Box of Chocolates blend. Overall, it's a far more pleasant experience than I'd been expecting. The common description of 'comforting' is pretty accurate. I want to wear this on a cold, cloudy day, underneath a big wooly jumper. 7/10 and I'll keep at least one of these imps.

2011 version. Food scents are a bit hit or miss for me, and this one was sadly more miss than hit. Bottle: Coffee. Dark, black, bitter coffee. Wet: Still coffee, 200% coffee, with a very light - but bright and buttery - pumpkin afterthought. Dry: After three hours or so, it actually does smell like a pumpkin latte. Or pie. It's warm and rich, and full of toffee. And had it stayed like that, I might have been happy, but after a few hours, my skin also decided it was indeed going to react to the cinnamon in this, and came out in its usual red blotches. I feel like people who enjoyed Sugar Moon and Sugar Cookie would like this - the eventual sweetness reminds me very much of both of those scents. It's definitely going in my sales pile or up on ebay. Stars: ★★★

Freebie from the lab that arrived with my Box of Chocolates stuff earlier this year. In the imp: Pure, absolute frankincense. Nothing else. Wet: Frankincense, sweeter rather than its usual spicy incarnation, and a hint of soapiness from the heliotrope. Dry (10 mins): Spicier frankincense now, closer to what I'd normally expect from it, a tangy herbal top note (the angelica?) and a powdery, soft floral scent. There's also a very light undertone of something that smells like the coconut fragrance tanning lotion gives off, which is nice but odd. Dry (2 hrs): More of the same, just less intense. This fades entirely by the 4hr mark, and while it's not an unpleasant fragrance, it's not one I'd pick for me. 2/5, going in the swap pile.

Another freebie from the lab, though I think I'd have eventually picked this one out myself to try. Imp: tea and tobacco, with a splash of mandarin and a hint of cocoa. Wet: very strong mandarin, and still that hint of cocoa. The tea almost vanishes beneath the citrus, and there's not a trace of musk or herbs to be seen. Dry (10 mins): a rich warm blend of tea, cocoa and tonka; basically a winter beverage party. I can almost see the steam rising from the cups and the marshmallows bobbing in the cocoa. The musk slowly makes its way out, and every so often, I'll catch a light top note of mandarin. Still nothing herbaceous. Dry (2-3 hrs): this sure does morph a lot! It's now soft musk, sweet mandarin and tonka, with nothing of the deep chocolate or tea notes left. And STILL no herbs! I've worn this a few times since I first got it (the imp is now about two years old) and I'm always surprised when I do that the blend hasn't changed with age. The only difference to Oct 2010 is that first sniff of the imp is a lot more chocolately. Otherwise it wears exactly the same way. The throw is quite good, and it lasts for a good 6-8 hours without reapplying - 4/5 overall.

Frimp from the lab. I was very hesitant to try this, as anything with even a hint of cinnamon makes my skin rise up in welts. But today was delightfully hot, and the description sounded like just the thing I was looking for. Imp: something sharp and almost cherry-flavoured. If I was guessing blind at ingredients, I'd have guessed a bark - willow or oak. It's similar to the way The Hesperides smells in its bottle. Wet: a fair bit more than "a drop" of cinnamon - this is basically cinnamon sugar on toasted almond bread. I was extremely light with the application and after getting no immediate reaction on my wrists, I dabbed some on the inside of my elbows and behind my ears. (Big mistake there; my ears immediately flared up into an itchy red rash. Not as much of a reaction on the elbows, but I had to wipe it totally off my neck, so if I keep this, I won't be putting it anywhere but my wrists.) Dry: the cinnamon fragrance almost vanishes after about ten minutes. It's replaced with a warm, spicy vanilla, that lingers quite well throughout the day, and eventually becomes a very soft, sweet fragrance. Were it not for the reaction, I'd probably keep this in my collection all the time. Even at its most cinnamon, it's not too foody, and the end result is lovely, especially on a sunny day like this one was. Stars: ★★★ on me; ★★★★ for the blend itself.